This Is Their Story
by LittleLuxray
Summary: A skilled Tactician finds his way to the Super Smash Brothers Team Tournament, but he arrives with one problem: he does not have a partner to fight alongside him. Without a choice, he is paired up with a mysterious man, one he's met before only once - in combat. With very little trust, Robin accepts this man as his teammate, but it's going to take more than that for them to win.
1. Chapter 1

_/Hello, there! To anyone who is reading this, I must truly thank you for taking the time to read my fan fiction. I plan to work very hard on this story (I have already worked hard on this first chapter), and I assure you that each chapter will be worth waiting for. I hope that you enjoy reading this story as much as I have fun typing it! Please stay with me through this entire journey. Enjoy! -Cosmic/_

**/Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story. All characters belong to their respected owners./**

* * *

The grand Super Smash Brothers Tournament: a place where world renounced, best of the best competitors go to fight against each other for glory. It was a treacherous, intimidating place, a place that would only result in disappointment if a match did not work in your favor. There was only one victor in each match – one for each competition – the title of "Winner" having been earned by the best, and only the best.

A trophy and a title that only one could earn... Except for when that tournament called for two competitors working on the same team. A team battle, the only time when a title could be shared with another worthy warrior, for after all, they were there to help pull you through to the end, alongside you. Team championships could go both ways, as they could work to your favor, or work against you, especially when friendly fire was in play. Opponents could single out the weakest and rid them of the match before teaming up on the more powerful competitor – a time when the competition would work against you. But if the case were opposite to that, the matches could really work with you, ensuring your victory within minutes. Sometimes, competitors were lucky, and other times, they were incredibly skilled – too skilled to have an opponent touch them. They hung back and struck when they needed to strike, and that was enough to decipher a match.

Matches almost always start out with little to no sense, strategy having been thrown into the wind. But as the competition progresses, the opponents become ever so stronger, and recklessness is seldom forgiven. You need to play off of your teammate, understand them and put your faith in them if you wish to take home the gold, no matter what. Even if it means having to put your trust in someone you never thought you'd trust in the first place.

This is his story.

* * *

"Room... 3B." His voice was low and almost inaudible as he looked down at his key. Surprisingly heavy footsteps carried the tactician to the front of the room's door soon after, the golden number and letter shining before his chestnut colored eyes. "3B," he repeated, lips slightly moving beneath his hood. "Here it is." He reached his hand out and inserted the small key into the key hole, turning it to the right before pushing the door inwards. Stepping into the room, the white haired male switched the light on, shut the door behind him, and set down his several heavy duffel bags. The room's light was bright, though not so bright to the point where the young man would have to squint. It cast an orange glow across the medium sized room, and he was glad to know that he'd been provided with enough space for him to find comfort in the temporary sanctuary for the next upcoming weeks.

Heaving a sigh, the male removed his hood, then his cloak, and hung it at the nearest coat hanger. With his eyes now revealed, he surveyed the room with interest. There was a rather spacious bed, most probably queen sized, and two couches sat within the room. There was a large window leading to a balcony, and the restroom was found in the far corner of the room. There was no television – something the male was thankful for – and two lamps at each side of the bed. It was a warm and comfortable room, a room he would not mind turning into his study for quite some time. His eyes gave one last scan to the small living space before he took a seat on the nearest couch, flopping wearily with a thud. His head lolled back slowly, the back of his neck sinking into the curve of the only sound seat he'd had in days. His eyes closed for but a moment before they opened once more, his hand reaching up to look upon the official tag that the institution had given him. He read it silently.

Robin

He moved the name tag gently in his hand, only to toss it to his side the next second after.

"A name tag. How elementary," he murmured, snorting a moment after. "This is not kindergarten. This is a competition. One I never thought I would join, to be honest..." Robin found himself grimacing after the words. He was not one to challenge other persons so freely, so it was now, after he had been registered by his own hand, that he was questioning himself with: Why? Why did he do this to himself in the first place? A competition? A two-on-two competition? What if he were to be partnered with someone who lacked his level of skill? He should have come with a partner – no – he should have never come in the first place. Another sigh left him before a chortle followed, his head shaking in self pity. "What happened to thinking things through, Robin?" he muttered, his hand finding its way up to push through his white locks. How long it had been since he was gifted with the company of, well, anyone who could speak. He hadn't had a decent conversation – or meal – in a long time.

Now, being the bookworm shut-in that Robin was, he usually preferred keeping away from others, as it gave him a better opportunity to study and fill his mind with even more knowledge regarding the spells that lined the pages of his several tomes. But after having gone literally days without carrying a decent conversation with anyone around him, he felt a certain longing within his chest, something that was foreign to him in almost every sense. His eyes squinted, those brown hues hiding slightly behind lids that were seconds from blinking. Robin had gone straight to his room after receiving his tag and room key – he was exhausted, after all – but a curiosity had begun to well up within the pit of his gut, something he knew he would not, and could not, sleep on.

Allowing yet another sigh to escape his parted lips, Robin placed a hand on the back of his neck and stretched, snapping his neck as he moved his head from side to side. He wanted to rest up and keep away from anyone else that had already found their way into the massive estate that was the battlegrounds for the esteemed Smash Brothers Team Competition, but his mind would not allow him to rest easy. He had to explore the large establishment for at least ten minutes, just so that he could water down his excitement.

There was no denying the fact that Robin already wished for his early departure, but there was something about the atmosphere that drew him closer. It beckoned to him. It wanted him to stay, and he was not going to deny his instinct when it came to competition. He secretly enjoyed it, and he _certainly_ enjoyed winning even more. To have those spectators cheer him on as he turned his head to see that he was the last man standing on the arena – tome in one hand and Levin sword in the other – why, it filled him with such a sense of self-pride and joy that he could practically bathe in it for months. It was such a rewarding feeling, one he could never put into words, and he only wanted more and more of it. Due to this feeling, Robin could only keep one thought in mind: he could not, and _would_ not lose _any_ match in this competition.

The white haired male hoisted himself up from the couch and looked to his right, then to his left. The soft, orange glow of the light was almost enough to put him to sleep, but now that he was hocked up with anticipation, he could only do one thing, and that was to explore the large place on his own. Maybe he could strike up a friendly conversation with someone, pull a bluff and mention how he was not all that good, and get the down low on his opponent's skills and move set. Robin knew full well that he was not the only talented fighter in the tournament. He would need to keep an eye out for a select few, for it was only smart of him to be wary around them, especially in battle. Robin sauntered over to his robe and pulled it on once more, cloaking his body with the thick fabric. Stuffing the key into his pocket, the tactician opened the door and stepped out into the hall. He turned his from left to right, scanning the empty corridor before he had begun to walk in silence. Robin swallowed thickly and pulled his hood over his head once more, keeping the lip of the hood away from his eyes this time. He wanted to at least study the competition and catch a glimpse of a competitor every so often.

After walking for several minutes, two at most, Robin found a hall leading to a grand hall, the area where everyone seemed to meet up. Ever so hesitant, the cloaked male slowly inched forward, those brown orbs dancing upon each head he saw. He studied them, some he did not recognize, and some he instantly identified. There was one male he had seen, one who caught his attention the moment his eyes fell upon him. There was no doubt about it. Robin pursed his lips in anticipation and suppressed a shudder that threatened to inform Robin of just how on edge he was. He could not deny that the man he was looking upon was an obvious threat to him.

The Hylian warrior clad in the iconic green tunic turned his attention to the left, in the direction where Robin was standing, and those striking blue optics met Robin's own. Robin felt the electricity of his competitive spirit coarse through him – there was no doubting the fact that he wanted to face Link with all that he had, but there was also that fear that sat deep within him, saying: _Are you crazy? You cannot defeat him, Link, the hero of Hyrule_. It was something he so desperately wanted to rid himself of. Robin pressed his lips into a thin line and held Link's gaze. He had been so enraptured with his petty staring contest that he had not even noticed that the Hylian hero himself had begun to walk towards him. The spell-caster stiffened and turned his head ever so slowly, for Link only drew nearer. It was only a matter of time before he stepped past Robin, his head turned slightly and his eye contact a new breed of intimidating. The warrior finally walked by, and Robin shot his gaze to the ground.

Link had just sized him up as a competitor. Robin felt his nerves try to stab at him, but he kept them down, and he refused to have them rise up once more. In all honesty, the male had only read about Link in ancient books, and heard about him in legend. Every time he heard of him, he felt both great respect and unwavering inferiority. He had hoped to meet him once in his life, though now that he had come across him, he felt as though he needed to step his game up, or let the elven-eared individual know who he was, and what he was capable of.

Quickly, Robin turned on his heel and stood with his back parallel to the wall, his head turned all the way to his left to catch the man before he disappeared or ventured beyond the point of earshot. "Hey!" Robin barked the word, and it managed to capture the Hylian's attention. Slowly, Link turned his head, then his body, and locked eyes with those chestnut hues once more. He stood there, curiosity suddenly gleaming in those sky blue orbs. "My name is Robin, and I look forward to facing you, Hero of Hyrule." He had absolutely no idea what he was saying, or why he chose to say it at that moment, but what was done was done, and he stood his ground.

Link's gaze did not waver, nor did his confidence, and if anything, the statement only seemed to humor the green hero. Robin caught the corners of Link's lips tug upwards, in what seemed to almost be a smile, and with that, he turned and continued on his way, eventually vanishing from Robin's sight. Not even one word had come from him, yet the intimidation ran deep within Robin's veins. Regret clouded his mind, and he wished he had never said what he said – for now Link knew who he was – but there was no way he could take back what he said. Robin could not turn back time. _Accept your mistakes and live with them_, that's what he would often tell himself, and so he faced forward and moved onward, hoping he would not run into anyone else.

* * *

Though the grand meeting hall had only been semi-full at first, within the span of a mere handful of minutes, the entire estate was bustling with competitors, all ready and eager to show their opponents what they were made of. Robin did not find this as unsettling as he thought it would be- in fact, after having confronted who he thought was to be his biggest threat, he found himself carrying a calmer mood and embracing the friendly, yet ironically hostile, atmosphere that was the Smash Brothers Tournament. Men and women were complimenting each other here and there, but Robin knew that behind each and every, "I hope you win," and "Good luck," they held a darker meaning behind those words. Everyone was ambitious, some so much so that they refused to share words with anyone who was not their teammate. The white haired individual watched these types carefully, studied their features and focused on their lip movements: they were discussing strategy plans with every given second that passed.

Some emanated the very essence of seriousness, like the all too infamous Koopa King with his small offspring by his side. Others seemed to be having fun, and they carried jolly expressions, something Robin liked to see. One of these fighters with a positive mood happened to be a young looking male with white wings jutting from his back. Whenever Robin would direct his attention to the auburn haired male, the angel would be wearing a smile on his face, even if it was just a faint one. That form of positivity was something the tactician respected, even if those smiles weren't real. What he also noticed was that the small male stood by a tall, green haired goddess. In fact, he never left her side. She was a beautiful, enchanting woman, with slender features that drew almost every eye to her. Clad in her white robes and golden armor, she surely looked to be a woman who had just descended from the clouds above. She seemed calm, cool and collected with the atmosphere, as if it did not bother her at all. He stood by and stared at the pair in obvious interest, wishing to know how their moves would play out for them in the competition.

He could not stare at them long, however, for they had turned and walked away, off to find their own rooms in which they would be staying. Robin pursed his lips and scanned the area once more, hoping he would lay his eyes upon someone he recognized. He stepped about cautiously at first, but after time, he grew confident, and strode across the hall, his head cocked back so that he could study the enchanting room.

The hall was enormous, with walls stretching high, high above their heads, so high that having to tilt your head back to catch a glimpse of the ceiling was something no one could ridicule. The walls and pillars shone a dark gold tint, hints of royal blue and several other subtle colors glittering across the hall. The windows were large and tall, wide enough for a dragon to come crashing through in a dramatic fashion. They were clear, all except for the very top of the windows, where a stain glass design sat, in order to let the others know that they were also something to be marveled at. The light of the setting sun spilled into the expanse, illuminating anyone who happened to pass through the warm rays. Robin found himself drawn to the light, and so he stepped towards it, finding a seat for himself on a couch that was all but bathing in the warmth of the sunlight.

_Sigh_

It was a heavy sigh, one that nearly rendered the tactician breathless. His hand reached up once more, his palm rubbing his face heavily. "Why am I here?" Still, he was questioning why he had entered such a competition in the first place. "I'd best win this blasted team championship title."

"We'll see about that."

Before Robin could react, he felt the couch shift, the weight of someone else's body settling down near him shocking the white haired male into silence. He turned his head quickly to the right and lay his eyes upon a familiar, blue haired figure, the man wearing a grin upon thin lips.

Robin's eyes widened in surprise, but he found himself laughing soon after, a thickly sleeved arm reaching out to slap the man on the shoulder. "You- by the gods, Ike," the tactician chortled, looking at him in awe. "You startled me."

"I can see," Ike answered a matter-of-factly, his head nodding slowly before he returned the same gesture – the force of his palm was a bit more than Robin was used to, and so he swayed slightly when Ike's hand slapped against his back. "I'm... Surprised to see you here, Robin," the warrior commented honestly, hesitance lining his words. "You don't seem like the kind of guy to...," he moved his hands in front of himself, gesturing as he attempted to conjure up some words that wouldn't seem offensive, "... Compete, head to head, with others, you know?"

"Spare me the sugar coating," Robin scoffed, his head jerking back along with the sound he made, "I know full well that I am not the kind of person who would compete in any form of competition. I am technical and I like to think up strategies. I lead armies into battle and succeed with very little casualties. I like to stay on the sidelines and watch from afar. I'd rather send men into battle than go in there myself."

"My point exactly." Ike turned his attention to Robin. "Why did you come?"

"Why should I not have come?" Robin retorted, a shrug of his shoulders displaying just how apathetic he was about the entire ordeal. "It seemed fun."

"That's a rather different twist on your definition of fun," Ike muttered, his hand flicking his own nose lightly. "Though I suppose I _could_ picture you fighting by someone's side. They spring forward and attack while you hang back and charge up that wicked spell of yours. Thoron, was it?" This earned a quiet laugh from Robin, something Ike felt proud of himself for. "Speaking of partners rushing forward to attack... Where is yours? Who did you come with?"

Light brown hues flitted to the ground before they looked back up, and leaning forward, Robin knit his fingers together and parted his lips. Ike watched carefully, waiting for an answer, but instead, all he received was another shrug of the tactician's shoulders.

"You didn't come with one?"

"I didn't come with one," Robin echoed, turning his head to catch Ike's gaze. "Crazy, right?" He laughed silently.

"I don't think you're the real Robin," the blue haired mercenary murmured, all before smirking and shaking his head. "Coming here without a trusted teammate? No Lucina? No Chrom?"

Robin shook his head. "No one. I figured that you came here with Marth." He leaned against the couch and sighed. "He's quick and swift, and lands his attacks with precision and astonishing power... A perfect match for your heavy-handed attacks and, well, sluggish blows." Robin's lips curled as he watched Ike's reaction.

The man held a hand out, as if to lay down some rules, and defended with, "Heavy-handed, yes. Sluggish, no. I run faster than you, Robin." Ike snorted in laughter, picking up on the white haired male's taunts. "Try avoiding my 'sluggish' attacks while you're in the air. I'm sure my backhand will knock your lights out."

"Let's see you do that after you've suffered a blow from my Levin sword, legendary warrior," Robin snapped. They both shared a laugh, Ike nodding slowly in acknowledgement, but after the sound of their laughter died down, Ike inhaled slowly.

"Ah... In all seriousness, Robin... My teammate is not anyone you happen to know. He's a very worthy competitor. Very powerful. Very unpredictable."

"And what's his name?" Robin sat up straight, getting a better look at Ike's face, which glowed in the fading sunlight.

"Have you heard of a man named Shulk?" Ike's eyes caught Robin's own, just in time to notice the male's confusion. His brows furrowed in thought, and he ultimately looked away, at a loss for words when it came to identifying who this Shulk was. "I take you haven't heard of him, Robin."

"I haven't. My apologies." He grimaced, frustrated after learning that he did not know something that someone else did.

"Don't apologize to me, Know-it-All," Ike shot, his grin never wavering, "Apologize to him. He carries a legendary sword. I thought you'd know about him by now. You'll be meeting him soon, though. I just hope that they don't pit my partner and me against you and whoever your teammate is in the first couple of rounds... Don't want you losing so soon... I want you to get far, Robin." Ike's eyes stared on blankly, towards the windows that led to the outside world. "I have full confidence that, if by any ridiculous, unlikely, other-worldly chance that Shulk and I don't win this, you two will be the ones taking home to gold and the title of team champions." The blue haired warrior turned his head slightly. "If I lose, I'll be losing by your hand. By your Levin sword, and by your damnable, cunning strategies, you meddlesome creature."

To those words, Robin laughed loudly, and it was the first genuine laugh he had managed to release in the span of about a week. For once, it wasn't forced. It felt great. "Creature is a strong word," he squawked, his laughter still breaking his voice. "With your immense strength, I could say the same. But honestly... I thank you. I share the same consent. If I am not the one winning, you'd best be the one defeating me. I will be downright _furious_, but, not _as_ furious if it's you." Robin admitted the words with reluctance, his words slow and cautious. "But don't bet on it, Man Who Wields a Two Handed Sword with Ease. I will win this."

"How long did it take for you to think that one up?" Ike stood from his seat and swiped at Robin, but the smaller of the two managed to avoid his heavy hand. "We'll see how it goes, Tactician. I'll see you tomorrow, at the auditorium. That's where they'll be announcing the teams and arranging the brackets. You probably already know that." The blue haired man looked off into the distance.

"I'm way ahead of you," Robin grunted, his head lolling back once more. "I will see you there, and I will be looking forward to meeting your teammate."

Ike bowed his head in one single nod and turned away slowly. "Likewise," was all he managed to say before he turned his back on his friend. "Rest easy." Those heavy footsteps soon carried Ike away, the sound of steel-toed boots clanking against the marble floor.

Robin inhaled deeply, then exhaled slowly, his chest falling at a gradual pace as he closed his eyes. As much as he liked Ike, he knew that he would have to square off with him at one point in the competition, and he certainly was not looking forward to that. With the sunlight fading more and more with each passing minute, Robin found himself standing from his seat, wishing that his friend had kept him company, for he desperately did not wish for himself to be left alone with his thoughts. The male huffed, maneuvered around the couch and started off towards his own room, ready to catch up on some rest for the day to come.

* * *

Shifting in bed noisily, Robin found himself hoisting his body up with much effort, the early morning drowse affecting him more than he thought it would. "Good gods," the male whispered to himself, one hand pushing his hair from his face, only for it to fall back over his exhausted features. It had been long since Robin actually had a chance to sleep in a bed that wasn't a couch or a stiff chair. The soft mattress threatened to keep him beneath the sheets, in hopes of lulling him back to sleep, but he knew that he needed to kick start the day, and lying in bed would get him nowhere. He needed to make his way to the auditorium in order to listen to the rules of the competition and have his new teammate be assigned to him.

The simple thought of having to put his trust into someone that he did not know at all only upset him, his stomach twisting into knots. "You brought this upon yourself, Robin," he murmured silently, kicking his legs out of bed and sluggishly making his way to the restroom to freshen up for the day.

With heavy footsteps, Robin made his way down the hall once more; having locked the door to his room and placing the keys within his pocket, he was now on his way to the auditorium, if only he could find it. He glanced around, those warm, brown hues of his trying to find a map or any sign that would lead him to the meeting grounds. Something, anything, could have helped him, but he found nothing. "The only time you want the hall to be full of people, and there isn't a soul to be seen," the male grumbled to himself, his lips twisting in dismay. He was hoping that he could follow the crowd, at the very least.

Running his hands over any poster he found on the walls, he eventually happened upon one that came of use to him. It gave the white haired individual directions on where to go and how to get to the destination he was looking for. It was a good thing he set out early, or he would have had to suffer the consequences of arriving late to such an important meeting amongst the competitors. Robin sped down the hallway, making sure he reached said auditorium in time. They were to meet at nine in the morning, and the cloaked male arrived at eight forty-five on the dot. Turning his head to look around, Robin found himself admiring the large room that was the auditorium, a place with rows upon rows of seats, a grand stage, and a ceiling stretching all the way to the top. The public gathering space was beautiful, with traces of gothic influence found here and there in the architecture. The spell-caster ran his hands over a stone wall before finding himself a place to stand, his arms folding before his chest as he waited patiently for what seemed to be an orientation to start.

The room was anything but silent as the bustling went on: men, women, and creatures alike found their way into and around the area, wondering if they should take a seat or not. Even if they were to sit, Robin remained standing in the front of the room, in an empty area right before the stage, large enough to maintain quite the amount of people. He was the only one there for what seemed like six minutes, before a familiar face once again made itself known. Through Robin's peripheral, he noticed the green tunic straight away and remained still, paying no mind to Link or his teammate, who was none other than the elusive Zelda. It was a team that Robin saw coming from a mile away.

Link kept his distance from anyone who was everyone except for the princess, for he did not wish to engage in any form of conversation. He stood there silently, not a word to be spoken, not an expression to be made. He was a strange man, short on words and usually carrying a stoic expression. He, of course, did not give off any bad or malignant vibe; Link was truly a hero in every sense, and was as righteous as he was powerful. Robin wanted to confront him once more, but held himself at bay; the last thing he wanted was to make a fool of himself in front of the man he so very respected. He should not have been so on edge in the first place. It made him feel ashamed of himself. While he stood there, worrying about Link in every way possible, the Hylian hero remained calm and expressionless. For all he knew, said warrior could have as much as forgotten all about him by then.

In absolute silence, the white haired tactician remained still as the space around him grew more packed with each second that slowly inched by. People crowded around him, finding their way by his side and around him, some standing in front, and some standing behind. Robin stuffed one hand into his pocket, his finger toying with the small slip of paper that had been handed to him the moment he registered the day before. Pulling the sheet from his coat, he looked down at the letters on it. They read: "Team F." Robin blinked down at the words quietly, the small slip of paper twisting between his index and middle finger. He watched it with yearning curiosity, wishing to know who also carried the same card that he held. His lips pressed into a thin line, and a sigh escaped through his nostrils.

"Don't look so serious," that recognizable voice spoke up once more, low and only for Robin to hear. The white haired male's attention snapped up and his hazel orbs caught Ike's own.

"Stop doing that," the hooded individual muttered, his hand pushing into his pocket before he pulled it out to have it rest at his side.

"Whoever you will be paired up with will do just fine. Just hope it isn't that dog with the duck on its back, yeah?" the mercenary grinned and cocked his head to the side, signaling to the Duckhunt dog in the far corner. Robin caught the creature's ear pull up in their direction and couldn't help but stifle a laugh. He had nothing else to say, or else the blasted canine would listen in on what they were saying.

Tilting his head in an agog fashion, Robin caught a glimpse of the blonde male that stood at Ike's side. Chestnut hues flitted all over the competitor's profile, taking in all the information he could before blue orbs scrolled to the side, in Robin's direction. The white haired male never looked away, thus foolishly having been captured staring by the man clad in red. It was only when Robin's gaze met Shulk's own that he parted his lips, hoping to say something, but having said nothing in the end. Both the mercenary and the Monado carrier snickered, Ike's hand rubbing his face in second degree embarrassment.

"Don't act so shocked now," Shulk greeted through laughter, his hand stretching out in Robin's direction. "I'm sure you've spoken to people before. You were doing so well just now with my partner here. The name is Shulk." The blonde smiled widely and wriggled his fingers, ocean blue optics darting to his hand and back to Robin's face. "Go on then."

Snapping from his stunned world of imagination, Robin returned to the embarrassing reality that was his life. He couldn't believe he had just made fool of himself in the presence of Ike's teammate. In hopes of swallowing his obvious humiliation, the white haired male's hand shot forward, and he clasped Shulk's hand in a strong handshake. The blonde only returned it with much enthusiasm.

"I am Robin. My apologies- for being so... Distant," Robin started, releasing Shulk's grasp. "I have a lot on my mind is all."

"Understandable," Shulk nodded and studied Robin's appearance. "I hear you don't have a teammate yet. Not very often that people come to a team competition without a teammate."

"I know." The tactician slightly turned his head away. "Not such a smart move on my part."

"Don't worry too much about it, Robin," Shulk commented, confidence lacing that English accent of his. "You'll be assigned an impressive partner, that I am sure of. It won't be fun, taking you down when you've got a partner who's easily defeated." The blonde raised his brows and cackled as Ike tapped his arm with his fist in approval to Shulk's smack talk. Robin could see why the both of them teamed up in the first place.

"Even if my partner does not live up to my standards, I am sure I can hold my own against the both of you." Adjusting his sleeves, Robin's lips curled. "Knowledge over power, boys."

Ike and Shulk chortled once more, their heads nodding in unison. They fell silent soon after, however, as an important figure found his way onto the stage before them. Robin also found himself saying nothing more as he glanced up at who seemed to be the announcer in front of the now packed room, but before the figure clad in black could speak, the white haired male caught faint words coming from Shulk's direction: "I like him." Robin's eyes slowly slid in the direction of his opponents', only to catch the sight of the blonde grinning, with his arms folded and his body leaning forward slightly, avoiding Ike so that his eyes could lay upon Robin. Without thinking, the spell caster felt the corner of his lips tug into a closed mouth smile before he faced forward again. Though he wouldn't admit it, the comment gave him a boost in confidence. He appreciated those words. He let them sink in during the short amount of time he had left, for the mysterious announcer garbed in black soon began to speak.

"You are all gathered here today to compete in the elite competition that is the Super Smash Brothers Team Tournament." His voice was booming, the figure standing having been a tall one, clad in a jet black trench coat, with powdered white gloves encasing his hands. His face was pale and carried the very essence of strict, and those eyes of his were... Strange. His irises constantly changed color, transforming from red to blue, blue to orange, and orange to green: every color that was in the spectrum, they could be found in his irises, and not one color remained for more than a second. They were mesmerizing, but malignant, and Robin found himself looking away.

"Many of you fighters may deem yourselves as powerful, skillful, and indestructible. Some of you might be right," the man continued to speak, scanning the crowd, "but only one team will come out on top. There will be no tied matches, there will be no making up, and there will be no sharing of the title between other teams. This is a competitive place, a place where you either bring all that you have, or you go home with your tail between your legs." Those multi-colored hues looked straight down at Ike, as if he were speaking straight to him. Robin turned his head to study his reaction, and as always, Ike stood his ground, never breaking eye contact with the speaker. "For the love of all that is good," the man continued, "Show _no_ mercy."

Ike's face remained expressionless as the mysterious figure turned away. Shulk furrowed his brow in confusion.

With his footsteps clacking upon the stage, the man continued: "Blood will be shed, bones will be broken. You /will/ be healed, but the pain you will feel, I assure you, will be all too real for you to ignore. Will some of you come across near death experiences? If you are careless enough, then yes."

Robin clenched his jaw and shifted uncomfortably in place.

"Already, I am sensing some discomfort in the crowd." The man turned his head, taking a good look at the expanse of people in front of him. His hand reached up to push his white hair back, even though not a single strand of hair was out of place. "This is interesting." Whenever he stopped speaking, he would take a listen and indulge in the silence for several seconds at a time, the tension rising in the sea of competitors. "This competition...," he then turned to look straight at Robin, those ever changing optics locking with gentle brown ones, "will be _very_ interesting. I can sense it... You." It was at that moment that the man had actually pointed his finger at Robin, singling out the heavily dressed participant from everyone else in the crowd.

Robin's brows knitted together, his jaw slacked, and he forced out the first word that came to mind.

"What?"

It was not the kind of 'what' where someone would question it in disbelief... No. It was the kind of 'what' that demanded an answer. The kind that a person would ask when they caught a stranger staring at them for too long a time.

The man in black kept his arm outstretched, his finger pointed straight at Robin for what seemed like forever before a wicked grin danced upon his features. He stood straight and wagged his finger in the tactician's direction. The mysterious man seemed seconds away from guffawing, but he never let so much as a chuckle escape his throat. He only stood there, finger continuously wagging in succession, until finally, his mouth opened. "I knew I was right about you... I _knew_ I was right about you..." The man sounded so accomplished with himself. "It will be you and your partner... Who will make this competition _what it is_. I have my eye on you, Robin." And just like that, he balled his gloved hand into a fist and strode to the other side of the stage, moving on to explain the rules.

With wide eyes, Robin turned his head slowly in Ike's direction, and to his surprise, the blue haired swordsman was not the only one staring back at him, or Shulk – with his lips twisted to the side, bug-eyed – but the entire crowd to Robin's left had directed their attention to him, confused and either afraid of him, or for him. The male looked into Ike's eyes; with Ike having been the only person there that he knew, Robin found himself looking for answers from him, but happened upon none. "What was that all about?" he hissed beneath his breath.

"You're asking _me_," Ike responded, his voice but a whisper. "Whoever this man is, I don't want to get on his bad, _or_ good side." His azure optics glanced upwards to lay upon the speaker once again, hoping he wouldn't fall victim to one of his strange mind games.

"The rules are simple," the man continued, his hands gesturing in a strange motion, "You are assigned a teammate, you have your teammate. You go into battle with said teammate. If you are in fear of death, jump off the ledge." He animated a person with one of his hands, the small being hopping off his other palm. "By doing this, you will save yourself momentarily. You come back, regenerated, for the time being, but not all of your wounds are healed. The more severely you're hurt, the less you will heal. If you happen to fall off while bruised and cut, then you will come back virtually perfect. Do I make myself clear?" He walked about the stage, catching a glimpse of everyone. "Knocking yourself out may be the only way to save yourself. But be warned, you go into battle with three stock, so choose wisely when you wish to throw yourself off, lest you wish to come off as a blaring disappointment to your partner." The man smiled with glee, the entire idea sounding like a trip to the candy store to him. His hands clapped together, and he then lifted them both to his lips, his eyebrows bouncing. "Oh, this will be fun," he felt the need to say, in front of the entire crowd.

"So to get things straight: there will be no surrendering. You either jump off, or you stay and you fight until you die. Your choice. You will lose that match and will be out of the competition within the first amount of rounds. It is only when we reach the top _eight_ that you will be susceptible for a rematch, to try and reclaim your dignity. This, is of course, called the losers bracket. If any of you plan on losing, do it when you get so far. That is when this competition gets interesting. To those who are not serious – to those who are not willing to give it their _all_ – back out now. Don't you dare waste my time." At that moment, the man seemed to have grown serious, the kind of seriousness he should have taken on the moment he set foot on the stage. "There will be several matches a day. We all know full well that living creatures need their sleep, right? A time to rest up? There is no use in abusing all of you to the point of exhaustion, is there? Then what fun would that be?" He looked off into the crowd, singling out a member that Robin could not lay his eyes on. "I'm not as cruel as you all may think I am... But I am cruel enough. Find your teammates and discuss a battle plan with them, spar with them, do whatever it is that you want. Just don't make a mockery out of my business."

He fell silent... Then started up again.

"I will be making announcements throughout the day. Listen good. If I call your team and you do not step up within the given time, you will be disqualified. If any of you have any questions, don't look for me. I won't answer them." His face remained as still as stone, his eyes void of compassion. "You may all call me Master Hand, and for those wondering if I have a brother, worry not... You will be meeting him soon enough." With that, he flicked his hand. "You are dismissed." He turned on his heel and walked off, vanishing before the eyes of many.

Robin stood, dumbfounded, as the crowd began to murmur around him, people turning left and right and facing their partners, fear painting itself onto their faces. The white haired male looked to his side and lay his eyes upon Link this time around. The man in the green attire returned his gaze and gave Robin a good, long stare, before turning away and making his way through the crowd. Still, Robin could not read his emotions or tell what he was feeling. Such a thing irked him to no end.

Pushing his hand into his pocket a second time, Robin listened to the clamor of voices around him. He wanted to deny what he was hearing, but it was obvious as to what everyone was saying. They were talking about him, glancing in his direction, studying him... Wondering just why Master had pointed him out, out of everyone else in the crowd. Flustered, his fingers fumbled in his pocket as they searched for the slip of paper, and once his fingers had wrapped around said sheet, he pulled it out and read over the letters in rapid succession. "Team F, Team F, Team F... Who's the other idiot who came here without a partner?" He looked up to find Ike and Shulk – thankfully, the two of them were still there, rooted to the ground. "How am I ever going to find this person?"

Shulk shifted his weight to one foot and glanced over the heads of many. "He should be in here somewhere. Shouldn't be too hard for you to find after everyone's scurried off to their rooms, yeah?"

"What if he runs off to his room as well?" Robin asked in doubt. "Then how will I find him?"

The blonde rubbed his mouth. "Let's hope he doesn't do that, then..."

A groan escaped Robin, his unease making itself obvious. He avoided eye contact with everyone in the auditorium and waited until the commotion died down. Most of the participants had already left the room, having gone to the common hall or to their own rooms to discuss battle strategies. Others hung back and found seats of their own in the rows of chairs presented far behind them. It was at this time that the male looked around, brown hues darting from one head to another. He ignored the ones who spoke in pairs, and singled out the ones who sat by their lonesome.

"What team are you two in?" Robin asked suddenly, his eyes keeping a constant look out for anyone interesting.

"None of your concern," Shulk answered before Ike could, as he aided Robin in his search. "You'll find out when you find out. But I can tell you this: our first match isn't today."

Hazelnut hues never looked in Shulk's direction. "Fair enough," he hummed, eyes squinting slightly. About five minutes later of standing and searching about aimlessly, Robin finally took one step forward, approaching the small pond of people that remained. Ike and Shulk followed, figuring they might as well help Robin find in finding his teammate. Cautiously approaching a person who sat alone, Robin lifted one hand in greeting and stood before her. She was a woman with soft, golden hair, her blue eyes rising to look up at him. She wore a royal pink dress and greeted him with a sweet smile, but after having heard his question, she had to shake her head in denial. With a dainty, white gloved hand, she lightly pressed her fingers to her chest and explained that she was waiting for her partner, who had to quickly run off to her room to retrieve something. Robin nodded in understanding, apologized for having caused her trouble, and continued on with the next person.

"A sweet thing, she was," Shulk commented as they moved on. "I wonder if she can do damage in battle."

"Oh, you'd be surprised," Ike murmured, pointing to his head to refer to her crown. "You get hit by that and it hurts like hell."

Ignoring their conversation, Robin maneuvered through the seats to try and find another person, or thing, who sat alone. He found himself approaching yet another competitor, one who looked exactly like the small, winged boy he had seen the day before, but in black. Refraining from giving him a look of confusion, Robin asked the same question to him, and sadly received the same answer. He was waiting on someone else, a young boy in a red cap. It sounded like a strange combination, but then again, Robin wasn't one to talk. He had no idea who he would be paired up with, so he held his tongue in hopes that he would not be ridiculed when he found out who it was.

Excusing himself, the tactician slipped past the row of seats before him and moved on to one more person, a man who sat in the back of the room with his arms folded and his back straight. "That... Might be him," he whispered to himself, his head craning forward to get a better look. Ike puckered his lips in thought and shrugged one shoulder, chiming in with, "It could be." It only took that comment for Robin to dart onwards, hoping that his hunch was correct. He did not wish to seem too eager, but he could not hide the excitement that radiated off of him. He was finally going to learn who his teammate was, and he'd finally be eligible to fight. Approaching from behind him and standing in front of him, Robin looked down at the male who sat by himself, his company being the only thing that he needed. The white haired individual squinted, then inhaled quietly, his jaw unhinging as he studied that masked face. There was no, "Hello," or "How are you." There was only silence for the most part before Robin found it in himself to speak up.

"I fought you once." Those were the first words that came from Robin's mouth. Ike and Shulk both made a face, the two of them looking like Siamese twins.

Sitting ever so soundlessly, the man stared up at Robin and simpered. He wore a red helmet over his head, black shades covering his optics, with white, triangular shapes acting as his eyes. A yellow scarf sat around his neck, and his muscles showed through his navy blue suit. He was obviously built, an agile and swift competitor who was able to land swift yet powerful blows. Robin would know... He squared off with him once, after coming to Lucina's aid.

Robin squinted and gripped the sheet in his hand, the words "Team F" crushing in his palm. The man before him unfolded his arms and held a small card in his own hand as well, the words reading the same as the now destroyed sheet in Robin's hand. The spell caster was _far _from amused.

Standing from his seat, the muscular man towered over his white haired companion, his hand stretching out in hopes of formally greeting the male standing in front of him. Robin hesitated for a very long time, his eyes flitting from his yellow-gloved hand to the masked face that stared down at him. After quite some time, he ultimately reached his hand out as well, clasping the man's palm with strength. He chewed on the inside of his cheek, suppressing his astonishing amount of disappointment. Ike watched on without a sound, his chin held high as he watched his white haired friend go from friend to foe with one simple handshake. He swallowed thickly and closed his eyes for a moment, then turned away and reached a hand out, patting Shulk on the shoulder to signal their silent departure. The blonde whirled his head around to look upon Ike, then lay his eyes on Robin once more before following Ike out of the auditorium.

There Robin and the mysterious male stood alone, their hands clasped together. Robin wished to say so many things to the man in his company, but he made sure to control himself; whatever he had to say to this man would have to remain bottled up until the competition was over. So instead, he took the professional route, and said only one word:

"Robin."

The taller of the two gave a strong shake of Robin's hand and nodded, his grin never fading.

"Captain Falcon."

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_/I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! Reviews and creative input are always appreciated, and I will be sure to upload more chapters in the near future. Thank you for reading! -Cosmic/_


	2. Chapter 2

_/Hello, there! To anyone who is reading this, I must truly thank you for taking the time to read my fan fiction, and also, thank you for continuing on to chapter two! I plan to work very hard on this story and I assure you that each chapter will be worth waiting for. I hope that you enjoy reading this story as much as I have fun typing it! Please stay with me through this entire journey. Enjoy! -Luxray/_

**/Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story. All characters belong to their respected owners./**

* * *

"I can't believe this," Robin murmured for the umpteenth time, his hand above his mouth as he sat hunched over a table. The male stared forward quietly, his expression screaming the word, "Disappointment". His heart had fallen to his stomach when he'd met his partner, and there was no way it would start its climb back up any time soon. Anger had found its way into the mix of emotions that Robin was feeling, but he had learned that it would be best if he kept this fury at bay. It would only cause him harm, and so he continued to murmur the only thing that he could for the time being: "I can't believe this."

Several hours had passed since the white haired individual had met the man who would fight by his side throughout the competition. Robin had spent the first hour with the Captain, trying to create small talk with him to try and break the awkward wall that had been built between them, but like the green hero of Hyrule himself, Captain Falcon was not one to speak much. Unlike Link, he would say several words here and there, every so often, when asked a question or when he felt the need to share his thoughts, but other than that, the Captain would say nothing more and keep to himself, his personality as mysterious as his appearance.

Robin groaned.

Why couldn't he have been partnered up with Ike? The swordsman was easy to talk to, quiet when he needed to be, and a formidable friend and rival. Robin would have preferred him over anyone else, and if not Ike, then he would have partnered up with Lucina, or even the blonde male with the complicated outfit- Shulk, was it? The tactician nodded to himself slowly, commending himself for having remembered his name. Shulk was an upbeat individual, from what he could see, and he carried no aura of malevolence with him. He had the makings of a hero, and the outfit of one, too. Robin cracked a smile to his thought and rubbed his eyes wearily. If Ike favored Shulk as his teammate, then that must have meant that the blonde was a powerful and skillful ally. If there was one thing that was well known about him, it was that Ike was difficult to impress; Robin would constantly pat himself on the back for being one of those few people who managed to put Ike's skills to the test. He ultimately cast his thoughts to the side, however, for he already knew that he would have to make it through the competition with the help of Captain Falcon and no one else.

"Damn it," Robin whispered, his fingers pinching his nose. His hand rubbed his chin before he rested his head on his arm. The male sat alone in the large meeting hall, at a table in one of the many secluded corners. He watched on as teams of two made their way through the hall, walking up and down to their destinations. He then noticed a familiar face, the princess in pink, walking by with a taller woman by her side. She wore an aqua blue dress, or was it teal? Robin couldn't tell. It did not matter much to him. But what he _could_ tell was that the princess' partner was floating several inches off the ground. He lifted his head, fascinated by this, and watched on in silence, staring at her dress as it hovered lightly above the ground. He followed them around with his gentle brown hues, all before pausing and wrinkling his brow. They had stopped walking, and their dresses were turned in his direction. He had done it again.

Slowly, his hazelnut orbs scrolled upwards to catch their eyes staring right back at him. He was not as embarrassed as much as he was apathetic about the entire ordeal, but what did surprise him was the fact that they started to approach him, the pink one lifting her dress slightly to break out into a light jog. Robin sat up straight, welcoming the newcomers with a wave of his hand.

"Hi," the pink one greeted in an airy tone, her face gracing him with a smile, "I met you before, earlier today." Once close enough, she came to a halt and stood before Robin.

"Ah, yes," he expressed, nodding his head as he stood to his feet. He did not deem it polite to remain seated while two enchanting women granted him the privilege of their company. "It is a pleasure to meet you again." He took her small hand in his and kissed it lightly, then did the same to her partner.

"Well aren't you a sweet thing," the pink one cooed, nudging her partner with her elbow. "Would you mind it if we took a seat?"

Robin shook his head and held his hand out. "Not at all. Please, be my guest." He sat back down and folded his arms onto the table as the two women sat down across from him. "So... I never caught your name," Robin started, directing his attention to the one he had met before. "My name is Robin."

"Peach," the pink one introduced herself, smiling warmly. "And this is my friend and teammate, Rosalina." She gestured to the taller lady beside her. Rosalina waved her hand in his direction, and Robin nodded his head once in greeting. "So, Robin," the princess continued, "I see you don't have your partner with you. Have you still not found him? I thought you would have by now." Her blue optics flitted left to right, curiosity picking at her.

"I have, actually," the white haired one huffed, reaching a hand up to push it through his locks. "I found him several hours back. Three hours ago, if I had to guess."

Peach's eyes lit up, her fingers knitting together as she leaned over in interest. "Well why aren't you with him, then? Why aren't you sparring, or training, or sharing battle strategies?" She watched Robin carefully.

"Don't you like him?" Rosalina chimed in, her voice smooth and gentle.

To that, Robin managed a half-assed smile and raised his brow. "That's the problem. I don't," he admitted with hesitance, rubbing the back of his neck. He noticed the look of concern upon Peach's face, and added, "Have you heard of a man named Captain Falcon?"

Raising her hand above her head, Peach drew a horizontal line in the air. "You mean the tall, handsome one in the mask?" Her question was innocent and purely out of curiosity, her eyes glinting in interest. "Why, he doesn't look all that bad."

With as much respect as Robin could muster, he scoffed and shook his head in disagreement to both her comments. The shake of his head was subtle and a smile dared graze his features. With one hand, Robin rubbed around his mouth and swallowed down the urge to vocally disagree with the princess that sat across from him. Though, despite having kept his words to himself, he did notice that, by Peach's expression, she had caught onto his complete disagreement with her words regarding Captain Falcon.

"You really don't like him, do you?" Peach ended up asking, more concerned than anything. "Are you considering dropping out?"

Shaking his head slowly, the white haired individual gazed off to the side, focusing on nothing in particular. "No, actually. That is the last thing on my mind," he answered truthfully, without hesitation. He turned his head to gaze at the princess, a seriousness in those brown hues that she had not noticed before. "I came here to win and I plan on doing just that. Dropping out is not an option." A tense air had suddenly fallen upon the three that sat at the table, for as soon as those words had left the tactician's mouth, both women came to realize just how serious Robin was about winning the tournament.

Of course, the Spellcaster was always up for sharing a conversation with anyone who had the ability to talk, but he also knew well enough not to put his trust or reveal his weaknesses to the competition. He chose not to continue on the subject of his partner, and instead made the princess and her teammate understand that he was not going to give up his flaws so easily. All they knew was that he did not favor the captain, and that he was not too familiar with him; he hoped he was not coming off as disrespectful to the two ladies across from him, but Robin was sure to keep it that way.

Keeping his eyes on Peach, the young male did not notice Rosalina's mouth open to speak.

"I don't know you," the elegant woman said gently, "but I like this side of you." She waved her wand in Robin's direction, faint sparkles falling from the tip, almost like small stars. Robin studied this, then her face. "You are timid at first. If I can guess, you complain a lot, too." The smirk that curled her lips caused Robin's eyes to squint in dismay, but she continued to speak. "But this competitive side of yours... This confidence... I want to see more of it." Retracting the thin wand, Rosalina stood from her seat and stepped – or rather, floated – away from the table. "I hope we face each other soon, Robin. But for now, you look like you've got some thinking to do. We'll leave you to your thoughts." A dainty hand touched Peach's shoulder, and to that, the princess stood to her feet as well and smiled down at the cloaked male that sat before them.

Robin looked up at the two. "I look forward to facing the both of you." He fell silent after that, having nothing more to say to them. Rosalina turned and started on her way, and Peach left the white haired individual with a parting wink, her heels clicking against the floor as she turned to follow her partner down the hall.

And just like that, Robin was left by his lonesome once more. Those chestnut hues were distant as they stared off into the large arcs of the hall, and his fingertips tapped against the table at a quick pace. Robin was fond of the fact that they did not overstay their welcome, even though Peach and Rosalina had only spoken to him for several minutes. He had to admit, however, that their little talk had given him more to think about. Leaning back in his seat, the young man folded his arms and closed his eyes. Several minutes passed as he sat in this pose; he listened to the occasional footsteps that passed by, and picked up their conversations. Some spoke of who they did and did not want to face, and others simply chatted away about their lives, telling short stories to their partners. It was interesting to know that some participants were more level headed than others. Some were confident while others were shaken up...

Robin fell in the middle of this spectrum.

He was confident in a sense that he trusted in himself and knew he had the ability to wipe the competition out on his own. But when he thought of the Captain, that was when doubt threatened to dominate his state of mind. Robin felt he couldn't rely on Captain Falcon, and knew for a fact that if he were to lose a battle, it would be because of his partner's lack of skill and negligence. Robin was aware of the fact that he would have to put some trust in his ally in order to get through the competition in one piece, but the idea seemed absurd to him. This was a man he had fought before in order to come to Lucina's rescue. Teaming up with a past opponent isn't exactly the smartest thing to do.

With his brown hues flitting to the side, Robin stood from his seat and turned to make his way down the hall. There was no one around. It was silent. Slowing his brisk walk to a stroll, the white haired male looked up in time to hear a familiar voice invade his eardrums.

"Team A and Team B, report to the main hall for your match immediately." Master Hand's voice filled the entire estate through the speakers that Robin could not seem to locate. He drew his head back, those warm hues glancing about in search for the source of the announcer's words. He furrowed his brow when he couldn't locate the them, and soon lowered his head in apathy, his interest fading. He instead continued on the path to his room, knowing that the very door to the left of his own led the Captain's dorm. As he continued down the hall, Robin caught a glimpse of two competitors walking together, opposite his route. They were on their way to the main hall, ready to take on whatever opponent was thrown at them. Whether they were Team A or Team B, the tactician had no idea, but what he did know was that they did not look like much of a threat: it was that dog who carried a bird on its back, and something that did not seem organic in the slightest – a tall, white and gray robot of some sort. Robin stepped to the side to let them pass, and could not resist turning his head to study the two as they made their way down the hall. Something told him they weren't going to make it far, and it wasn't the dog's clumsy walk, or the way he tripped over his own two ears. An apathetic grunt left Robin's throat as he stood in the hall, several feet away from his room. He had initially wished to enter his small abode and spend the day there, practicing his spells and planning out his own strategy, but now that he knew a battle was about to commence, he wanted in on it. He wanted to watch.

"I know there's a spectator's hall in here somewhere," the young man muttered to himself, turning his back to his door. He started down a different path, in search of the room he had suddenly set his mind to. With every corner he turned, Robin found more and more people – and creatures – exiting their rooms. It seemed they also wanted to watch whatever battle that was about to begin. At first, there were only several in the halls, about four or five at most, but as time passed, Robin had begun to feel overwhelmed with the amount of competitors that started to line the halls. He squeezed past several people, only to force himself to stop in his tracks as he stared down the spiked back of the beast that was known as Bowser. "Talk about a walking hazard-," Robin unconsciously murmured, finding his way around the Koopa King.

"You can say that again," a disembodied voice laughed. "The guy's a living obstacle course." Robin turned his head quickly, from right to left, but ultimately found no one. Jogging forward slightly, the cloaked male slipped by several more denizens, confusion floating about in his thoughts now. He had no idea who said that, and surely, whoever _did_ say it was referring to his comment, so he knew he wasn't losing his mind. Following the crowd, Robin finally found himself in a large clearing, a room to be exact, with a large television screen taking up part of a wall. The room was more than spacious enough for everyone to move about with ease, and for that, Robin was thankful. He took several steps away from the crowd, hovering over to the least occupied corner there was. With his chestnut hues darting about, Robin soon took notice of a male in front of him, sharing his corner. He wore a grin on his face, one hand stretched out in greeting. Robin found this strange, but returned the handshake nonetheless.

"Oh- hello, I didn't see you there," Robin managed to say first, giving the strangely familiar lad a firm handshake. "I'm Robin. And you are?"

"Disembodied voice. It's a pleasure." The brown haired boy smiled back at Robin, a chuckle leaving him. "I'm just kidding. The name's Pit." It was then that Robin drew his hand back and pointed at the male across from him, wagging it in thought.

"So it was you out there, agreeing with me," the tactician marveled, tying two and two together. "You must have been flying right over my head..."

"I was!" Pit's voice was warm and welcoming, and he spoke like a child, without a care in the world. "You looked so confused. I shouldn't have done that."

Waving a hand in front of his face, Robin assured the winged individual that it was alright with a smile of his own. "All is well and good. No need to worry." Turning his head to the side, Robin's body twisted with him, his eyes fixing on the screen. The competitors had made their way to the arena, and surrounding said arena were thousands of people cheering and chanting. The tactician's eyes widened.

Though he was not the one the of the teams set for battle, he could feel the intensity of the atmosphere beyond the television screen. It was heavy, it was energetic, and it was intimidating.

"Why don't we go get a closer look?" Pit offered, hopping forward with a flap of his wings. Robin followed, his eyes on the screen, and on the screen alone. His arms folded in front of him, and before he could open his mouth to say anything else, the male cloaked in white was jerked to the side. Robin jolted in shock and looked in Pit's direction. "I'll catch you later, Robin!" the smaller one called, waving a hand. His teammate, the tall, green haired woman, had pulled him away from Robin's side. Her eyes scolded Pit when she drew him near, and they then scrolled upwards and did the same to the tactician. She seemed displeased, unamused, and overall unimpressed. Robin paid no heed to her look and refused to return any form of expression that would prove as acknowledgement towards her. He directed his attention back to the screen, and that was that.

The team going against the dog and robot contained one of the people that he had spoken to before: the male who looked exactly like Pit, except he was shrouded in black. He was with his teammate, the short boy with a red cap and a striped shirt. Robin squinted. They did not look like much of a threat. In fact, they also seemed just as weak as the team they were going to fight against. Robin's interest in the match had suddenly dispersed, and he stood there amongst the crowd with a distant expression.

The room was filled with the sounds that came from the screen, the television's volume drowning out the voices of the crowd. Everyone fell silent when the countdown began.

"Three... Two... One... _GO_!"

And just like that, Dark Pit and Ness (from what Robin could read on the upper left corner on the screen) charged into action. Dark Pit leapt into the air with one powerful flap of his wings, and he drew one arm back as he aimed a dark purple arrow downwards at their first target, the dog. The weapon curved downwards, jabbing the creature hard enough to cause it to flinch. It was then that Ness darted forward, shooting a small flame from his hand and down onto the creature's feet. It was captured in a pillar of flames immediately, and Ness continued this motion in succession, the dog's escape proving futile. Seeing this, the robot charged forward in an attempt to save its teammate, but was cut off immediately by another one of Dark Pit's arrow, the weapon jabbing the robot hard enough to have it stagger. The moment R.O.B had touched the floor, the Pit look-alike grabbed onto the robot and slammed him backwards, then continued to ambush the vulnerable thing in the air, landing hits so quickly that his victim could not react in time to break free.

Ness was unrelenting – after what seemed to be the seventh PK Fire, as Ness called it, the small male bounded forward and grabbed onto the charred dog. He slammed him downward, causing the creature to bounce into the air, and then he took to the air, himself. Ness tackled him with a purple light, once, twice, then fell back. The dog and duck finally found time to breathe and started to make their way back to the stage, but their efforts proved ultimately useless. Ness hopped above their head with one leap, and jabbed his foot downward. The hit connected, and both the dog and duck went plummeting down, a yelp and a bright light following. At about the same time as the Duck Hunt's downfall, Dark Pit also managed to take down R.O.B once, as he slammed the robot against the lower edge of the arena, causing him to rebound off the surface with force as he lost one of his own stocks. Dark Pit found his way back to the arena, and Ness turned his back to face his teammate. He ran over to the taller male, found himself standing by his side once more, and there they stood, waiting for their opponents to return so they can take down their remaining two stocks.

Robin's eyes widened. He was in shock. He had completely misread them. "Holy shit." Those gentle, brown hues darkened, and his eyebrows furrowed. "They're good..." Though he had doubted the skills of this Team B before, he now found himself wanting to face them. They were wiping the floor with Team A, maneuvering around them on an entirely different level, their attacks coming out swiftly and landing with precision and power.

In under two and a half minutes, the match had ended, and Team A was defeated. Dark Pit and Ness stood side by side, not a scratch on them to be seen. If anything, the only noticeable thing about them was how heavily they were breathing. The camera zoomed in on the two, displaying them closely on the screen, and the crowd cheered wildly for them after having just witnessed a perfect match on Team B's part.

"The winner is: Team B!" Master Hand's voice rang through the room, from the TV and the speakers that no one seemed to locate. "They're impressive, aren't they? Pray you don't run into them in your next match." There was a trace of humor in that voice of his. Robin was sure this man was some sort of sadist. "Team C and Team D, be sure to report to the main hall within the next five minutes. That will be all for today. Good luck to the lot of you." That tone of his was anything but compassionate, and the moment he signed off, the television's screen went black, Dark Pit's smirk being the last thing Robin saw.

Robin glowered and instantly took off, deciding not to hang around to look for Ike or Shulk, or much less, his teammate. He fled before the crowd could disperse, and was the first to set foot in the halls; for a man who was slow on the battle field, he was surprisingly quick on his feet when it came to fleeing crowds. He did not wish to linger. He had more important things on his mind. Robin was sure to turn the corner before anyone could recognize him from the spectator's room, and with that quickened pace of his, the tactician led himself down the path to his room. It only took him a little under a minute to make the final turn and find his way down the corridor to his small dorm, but instead of power walking the last couple of yards, Robin found his pace slowing to an idle stroll when he lay his eyes on the man who was standing in front of the door, right next to his own.

At a leisurely pace, Robin made his way down the hall until he was finally at his door, the Captain standing at a close distance. He found himself at a loss for words, one hand placed heavily on the doorknob. What was he to say to him? He had to improvise and ended up saying the first thing that came to mind: "Did you go to watch the match?" Robin turned his head to look at the captain, making an effort to socialize with him.

"Didn't have to." Captain Falcon stood with his back against the door, his head also turning to face his teammate. He looked down at Robin, and took the time to realize just how short the tactician was to him. "Did you?"

"I did." Robin's words came out quickly, those brown eyes studying the only visible parts of the taller man's face. "Team B won – they're good. Their skills are impressive... It's best we keep an eye out for them. Dark Pit and Ness: a black haired, winged boy and a stout kid with a cap and shorts." He paused. "They sound ridiculous, but they're stronger than they look, I'll tell you that."

With his arms folded, Captain Falcon's lips pulled into a slight, semi-frown. From what Robin could piece together, he was pulling more of an impressed look than a frown of disappointment. "Let's hope we face them, then."

"Let's." Robin agreed and pressed his lips into a thin line, diverting his gaze from the spangled man and staring back at his door, then to the floor.

A dead silence fell upon them after that one word, and the tactician felt as if he were trapped in a timeless vortex, when only seconds had passed. Robin pulled his key from his pocket and jammed the small item into the keyhole, turned the knob and stopped. "Why were you standing outside of your door?" he couldn't help but ask, those light hues stuck on the floor. He waited for the captain's answer, but after a long five seconds, Robin pushed the door inwards. He figured if he wasn't going to answer his questions, then talking to him was a waste of time. But as the male moved to enter his room, Captain Falcon did in fact raise his voice to speak.

"I was waiting to talk with you. Our first match is tomorrow." He kept his pose against his door, staring straight at Robin, who stopped in his tracks and stood at the entrance of his room with a curious look upon his face. He stood still, then scrolled his eyes to the side, staring at his taller partner before he asked, "Are you implying that we discuss a battle plan, Captain?"

Captain Falcon shrugged as if the answer were obvious. "What do you think?"

Silently, Robin remained still, staring at him sideways for what seemed like forever before he finally murmured, "No," and stepped into the safety of his room before the man could respond. Locking the door behind him, Robin leaned his back against the large slab of wood and stared forward in shock – he was shocked with himself for having just turned down the only form of cooperation that his partner had to offer. Normally, Robin would have been more than happy to discuss a battle plan with his teammate, but for some strange reason, the male felt compelled to avoid Captain Falcon at all costs. The very thought of putting faith into that man appalled the tactician, and he ultimately concluded that it was something that simply could not be done.

He stepped forward and removed his hooded cloak, tossing it onto the nearest couch as he flopped onto his bed. "Damn it..." His voice was low, uncertainty gripping his mind. He sat up on the mattress and reached out for one of his books, opened it and skimmed the pages as he tried to clear his mind. "Looks like I'll have to win these matches on my own," he muttered to himself, slim fingers tracing along the lines of the book's aged leaves.

And so there he sat, studying away, making sure that he knew each and every component of the spells that his books carried. He had to be at his best if he wanted to win, and there was no way he would be able to do so if he put his faith in someone that he couldn't trust for ages to come.

"I've got this," Robin murmured to himself in feigning confidence. "I've got this..."

* * *

"_Guh-!"_

The quiet shout barely filled the room as Robin sat up in bed, his breaths coming quickly from him. He searched about the room with wide eyes, looking for the nearest clock all while shoving his blanket off of himself. "Time-" He was frantic, afraid that he had overslept and missed half the day, but as he looked over to his nightstand and lay his eyes upon those red numbers, a heavy sigh escaped him, his body falling back onto the bed in relief. "It's only eight..."

His hands reached up to rub at his eyes, and afterwards he soon found himself writhing in place, an uncomfortable object poking at his back. Robin clicked his teeth and sat up, wrestling with the sheets before he unearthed one of his many tomes, buried beneath the blankets. His eyebrows furrowed, and he soon studied his own self to find that he had fallen asleep fully clothed, all except for his cloak. Had he fallen asleep while studying? At what _time_ did he fall asleep? When he came to think of it, Robin couldn't remember. He'd been so gripped by his studies that sleep itself had snuck up on him. With a quiet groan, the male pulled off his boots, unequipped anything and everything that clung to him, and shed himself of all clothes, leaving himself bare as he started on his way to the bathroom. It was time to get ready for the day, and he intended on wasting no time with that.

His shower was quick, five minutes at most, and suiting up took about half the time. Robin was used to doing things quickly and getting them done within the designated time period. Even though he knew it was still early, and he did not have to rush, Robin found it necessary to be swift and efficient. It was the day he would have to fight his first set of opponents, after all. He had to stay on his toes and be at his best health.

The very word "health" then rang in his mind, and it was at that moment that Robin was reminded of the fact that he had gone hours on end without a meal. His lips twisted to the side for a second, and with an aching stomach, Robin snatched his key from his nightstand and exited his room, his sights set on the mess hall now.

The corridors were vacant and peaceful, something he appreciated. The last thing Robin needed was for him to have to push past another cluster of creatures and people standing in his way. He walked onward, allowing his sense of smell to guide him, and soon enough, Robin did pick up the faint scent of food. It smelled divine to him – from what he could remember, he'd locked himself up in his room for the entire day yesterday, without a morsel for him to eat. He didn't know how long he'd gone without food, but what he did know was that it had been well over fifteen hours. With heavy footsteps guiding him closer to the smell, Robin found himself standing at a wide set of double doors that led to the mess hall. He could hear clamor inside, and stepped in without further reluctance.

Many tables were sprawled out about the large room, some tables containing more seats than others. To the left of the room, there were several rows of long counters, and each one carried copious amounts of different foods. Robin exhaled silently through his nostrils, then murmured a very relieved, "Thank goodness," before making his way to the inviting buffet.

A small amount of early birds had already made their way into the mess hall before Robin, and they spoke amongst each other as they ate, one of them having been Pit. He sat across from the tall goddess that was his teammate, and stuffed his face as he rubbed one of his eyes. He looked as if he'd just woken up, what with how his eyelids dropped every so often. That, however, did not stop the small male from noticing Robin, those blue eyes locking onto him like crosshairs. The winged boy offered up a smile through swollen cheeks as a greeting, and sure enough, the woman turned her attention to the direction of Pit's gaze. She stared hard at Robin, her face as still as stone. She barely moved.

Not wishing to come off as disrespectful to Pit, Robin gave a wave of his hand to him, a faint smile curling his lips. As for the woman across from him, the tactician ignored her completely, turning his back and proceeding to serve himself as if she weren't sitting there, right in his line of sight. It was too early for Robin to grow frustrated, and the last thing he needed was some half-wit competitor eyeing him with a nasty gaze. If the green haired woman was looking to instigate, then she was surely barking up the wrong tree. Robin only had one thing on his mind, and that was to eat.

Finally having served himself, Robin nonchalantly turned around to find the first seat available to him, but what he instead laid his eyes on were two very familiar faces; Ike beckoned for his white haired friend to join him and Shulk at their table, and without much of a choice, Robin made his way to them, a quiet grin on his face. In secret, he was glad that he'd run into them. It had only been a day, but the tactician really found himself missing his long time friend, and even his partner. He took a seat, set his plate down, and smiled over at the two.

"Good morning, Ike, Shulk," Robin greeted, pushing a hand through his hair. "Haven't seen you two around lately."

"We could say the same about you," replied Shulk, a fork in his hand. "We were looking for you yesterday but you were gone. Vanished without a trace." He held his utensil so that it was pointing in Robin's direction. "Oh, and good morning to you as well."

Robin couldn't help but chortle to Shulk's words, and proceeded to stuff a forkful of food into his mouth, giving the blonde a shrug of his shoulders. He could feel Ike's eyes on him, but did not call attention to it. He knew the man would speak up soon, and he did.

"Where were you yesterday?" Ike's deep voice spoke up. "After you met up with your partner, you became impossible to find." He sat leaning forward slightly, with his arms folded on the table. He looked serious, and not his normal serious, but serious to the second degree.

Keeping his eyes down, Robin swallowed down his bite and caught more pieces of food between his fork. "You over exaggerate," he sighed, shrugging again, one shoulder this time. "I went to the foyer, sat down, got up to watch the match between Teams A and B, and then went to my room for the rest of the day."

"Are you serious?" The words came from Shulk's direction, but his attention was not on Robin. It was on the remaining food on his plate. He aimlessly picked at the toast with his fork, looking completely engrossed in whatever it was he was doing, before his eyes darted upwards – Shulk's gaze was now locked on Robin. His head remained in that same position of looking down, and the movement of his silverware slowed to a halt.

"Yes, I am...," the tactician answered slowly, his brown optics on Shulk. His own hand had stopped moving as it hung limp over his plate.

Shulk raised a brow. "What were you doing all that time?"

"Reading my books. Studying." Robin finally raised his fork to feed himself another mouthful of food, his eyes watching Shulk carefully.

To that answer, the blonde's eyes widened for a moment before he directed his attention back to his scraps, that same fork pushing the bread around again. "Holy hell, you're a wicked bookworm, Robin." The words came out as a loud murmur, loud enough for Robin to hear. The white haired male's brow knitted together in wonder, but he ultimately averted his gaze and looked back to Ike, who was now smiling to himself.

"Typical Robin," he sighed, raising a brow in the Spellcaster's direction. "Let me guess, you fell asleep before you could even realize that you were tired, and you woke up on one of your books?" He wore a subtle smirk upon his chiseled features, waiting for Robin's reaction, but after having not received one, Ike's smirk transformed into a wide grin, a chuckle leaving him. "Hit the nail on the head. It's funny- you read books so much that you've become readable yourself."

A short, disruptive laugh left Shulk as he continued to pick apart the leftovers on his platter.

Robin rolled his eyes and gulped down another bite of his food. "Are you done, Ike?" He reached out and raised a glass of water to his lips.

"Lighten up, Robin," the mercenary groaned, leaning back in his seat. "I pick on you, but you know it's all in good fun. If you keep up that attitude of yours, you're not going to make it far at all."

To those words, the white haired male snorted in laughter and raised a brow in Ike's direction. "I've everything under control. Don't lecture me." A playful glint in those chestnut hues let Ike know that he was messing with him, for the last thing he needed was another life lesson from his, often times, too serious friend. "I'm confident I'll get through today's match without difficulty."

Shulk spoke again, this time looking up. "Speaking of today's match, did you and your partner discuss a battle strategy?" Though those words were the last thing Robin wanted to hear, Shulk's accent made them sound bearable. "I mean, you had all day. You should've spoken to him at least once."

"We did exchange some words," Robin answered, glancing in the blonde's direction. "But no battle strategies. He... Didn't bring it up. I tried, but ultimately my efforts were useless." Falling silent, Robin's eyes locked with Shulk's for only a second before he directed his attention back to his plate, his fork piercing a small piece of meat. He could feel those green-blue hues on him, studying him for quite some time before Shulk finally looked away. Maybe it was the fact that Robin knew, himself, that he was lying, but he felt as if Shulk had seen right through his petty fib. It made him uncomfortable, but he was willing to keep his guard up.

Quietly, Shulk let out a low hum and pushed his plate to the side, looking at the tactician sideways. "Hopefully he cooperates next time." Robin nodded once to himself, trying to ignore Shulk's comment.

"Just be careful around that man," Ike sighed, rubbing his face with one hand. "You don't know him and he doesn't know you. It'll take some time for the both of you to get used to each other, and from the looks of it, it'll be difficult, too. But despite all that, I'm rooting for the both of you." The mercenary smiled at Robin, charming as always. It was that form of kindness that Robin truly appreciated.

He chuckled quietly and leaned his head on his hand. "Thank you, Ike. I don't know about the Captain, but I'll be cheering you and Shulk on as well." As much as Robin meant those words, he could not help but feel a nagging sensation at the back of his mind, poking at him as it secretly wished for Shulk and Ike's downfall, that way Robin would not have to face them later on. It was not out of ill will, nor was it out of any malicious intent – in fact, Robin was afraid of facing the two. He had seen Ike in battle before, and as for Shulk, he had no idea what he was capable of. Robin smiled weakly at his two friends before he lowered his eyes, the silverware dropping from his hand with a quiet clank. He'd suddenly lost his appetite.

* * *

Hurried footsteps carried Robin across his room as he reached out for his Levin sword and a trusted tome. Once he had gathered these things into his arms, he inhaled deeply, then exhaled slowly, staring down at the floor. He refused to let the pressure get to him- it was much too soon for that. After all, his team name had just been called overhead, and not even a minute had passed since then. "Calm yourself," he muttered, frustrated with himself. "You've fought many battles before." Robin then turned on his heel and proceeded to his door, stepping out without looking back.

He had been sitting in the main hall, recalling the spells within one of his many books, when the male heard Master Hand's voice fill the entire estate. Upon hearing him say, "Time for the first match of the day: Team E and Team F, report to the main hall in five minutes," Robin had sprung to his feet to run to his room, realizing that he had not been carrying any of his weapons. He would have hated having to show up with nothing in his hands to fight with, while the captain used nothing _but_ his hands to fight. Cowering behind his teammate... How embarrassing that would have been.

Walking briskly, Robin found his way to the very grand main hall in under a minute, his brown eyes searching the foyer for where it was that they had to stand. In the middle of the room, engraved into the floor, was a very large, light blue circle. It seemed to give off a soft light, and slowly, Robin approached it, curious brown eyes gazing upon it. He stood right outside of the circle's circumference, studying the pattern with curiosity and wonder, and he had become so interested in the very thing that he failed to notice the Captain's arrival. He stood by Robin, to his right, with his arms folded and his head held high. Soon after, Robin finally looked up, only to draw in a quick breath and stand straight, his hand gripping around the hilt of his Levin sword. What Robin also failed to notice was the fact that his opponents had shown up in front of him, and they stood across from him, their eyes serious and menacing. Robin returned their gaze as he studied them.

A light purple creature, with a long, even darker purple tail stood standing with his arms at his sides. Two horn-like features jutted from either side of his head, and it's fingers were like small balls. They were funny to look at- almost unintimidating. His partner was also something that was not human – a blue frog of sorts that stood on its two hind legs, with a smooth, pink scarf wrapped around its neck.

Robin's brow furrowed. He was not going to underestimate them any time soon, and he could tell by the look on their faces that they did not come to play nice.

As he studied his opponents, the circular pattern on the floor suddenly brightened, the blue glow growing even stronger as small orbs of light emanated from the ground. Robin directed his attention to this and raised his eyebrows, wondering what it meant. He soon concluded that it was their signal to step onto the pattern, and without the consent of anyone else, Robin set foot on the pad at the very same time as his teammate; their competition soon did the same, and once they were all on the large pad, a bright light enveloped them, and in a second, they were gone.

Robin felt as if he were floating. There was no floor for him to stand on, nor were there walls for him to lean against. He kept his eyes wide open, but was welcomed with only darkness. It felt like several minutes had passed before the male had begun to see signs of light again. He squinted, the small orbs of light focusing into something more – a man's back? Blinking, Robin's vision came into focus, and he realized that he was indeed staring at someone's back: Captain Falcon's. He stood behind him, several feet away, on a stage that stretched out long before him, his opponents across from him. Robin looked around. The stage seemed to float in mid-air, and surrounding him were rows upon rows of cheering people, clapping their hands and calling out the names of who they favored more. Listening closely, he picked up the names "Mewtwo" and "Greninja." The names sounded so ridiculous that he discarded the very idea of the titles that he felt he'd just made up.

But suddenly, as if he were confirming Robin's suspicions, Master Hand's voice rang throughout the stadium: "We have Mewtwo and Greninja of Team E, and Captain Falcon and Robin of Team F, about to face off! Are you all excited for this?" The crowd roared loudly with excitement, and Robin managed a, "You've got to be kidding me," under his breath as the announcer continued. "I feel like this match is going to be a good one. Get ready, competitors. The match is about to begin!" Robin could not pinpoint where this man's voice was coming from, but he was sure that Master Hand was somewhere in the enormous stadium, well hidden and out of sight. But, ignoring this, Robin gripped his sword in his hand and opened his book with the other, glaring forward, past the Captain's shoulders, at those creatures that he was forced to call his opponents. The Captain stood in his battle stance, with one hand in front of him, balled into a fist. It trembled with what Robin hoped was anticipation and power, for Robin's hand shook with anything but that.

Master Hand's voice filled their ears once more. Robin's eyes narrowed.

"Three... Two... One... _GO_!"

And it was on. Robin whipped his book out and began to charge his spell, his eyes locked on the tall, purple creature who seemed to do the same, charging a dark ball of energy at his side. After both charges had reached their capacity, Robin pulled his arm back and started forward, his eyes on the purple one. It seemed Mewtwo had his eyes on Robin as well, for every move Robin made, the creature would mimic. The white haired male grimaced and darted ahead, side stepping the Captain and running ahead to meet the creature head on.

Unlike what Robin had seen in the spectator's room, the match was anything but two-dimensional. Robin could move freely, from right to left, side to side. The moving space was limited as they had to share the same horizontal space, but given his experience, Robin knew he could make do with what little space he had. There was more to the combat system than he thought, and he was afraid he would have to find these things out the hard way.

"Do not disappoint!" Robin hollered back at his teammate, not giving him the time of day to look at him. He instead leapt forward and swung his sword at Mewtwo, only to have his attack side-stepped, just as he predicted. Robin landed hard, but rolled out of the way of one of his opponent's attacks, his long tail just grazing him as he found his way to his feet again. His opponent was fast, Robin could see this, but it wouldn't be long before the tactician found out his pattern and his weak points. He advanced again, Levin sword gripped tightly in his hand as he gave a powerful thrust of his arm to the side – the attack only grazed the taller being, and it had then found that moment as an opening for attack. Lunging forward, Mewtwo grabbed hold of Robin with a powerful force, his hand hovering over his victim's chest. The sword wielder gasped and with a forceful jerk of his body, he broke free from the binding hold, stumbling back as his opponent did the same. Robin groaned and glared forward. That was too close. He already felt out of breath, and this wasn't from running around. The energy that Mewtwo had used to keep him there affected him in a dastardly way, and though an attack was not made, the dark aura surely did take its toll on Robin's body.

Robin scowled. "I can do that, too..." His actions void of reluctance, Robin charged forward, causing the creature to jump backwards. He continued to move, slow on his feet, until he saw that Mewtwo had taken notice of his lack of speed. Confidence shining in his eyes, the long tailed monster met Robin's charge with his own, advancing forward at a much faster pace as he levitated off the ground. The tactician held his breath. In the blink of an eye, he had stopped in his tracks, hopped back, and held his hands above his head. "Arcfire!" The fireball propelled from the red tome quick enough to have caught Mewtwo off guard, and it engulfed him in a pillar of flames. Taking this opportunity to act quickly, Robin darted forward and jumped, swinging his sword just in time to knock the creature out of the flames with his Levin sword. The electricity rattled Mewtwo, sending him flying backwards, above the battle that went on between Greninja and Captain Falcon. Using his second jump, Robin found his way above Mewtwo, and brought his sword down on his head, causing the creature to plummet down and slam against the stage.

_'Good!'_ Robin's voice rang in his head, his momentum building as he landed on his feet, his boots skidding to a halt and his arm thrusting into the air in order to catch the disoriented opponent in yet another devastating blow. A loud groan left Mewtwo's body – it was music to Robin's ears. He stood grounded and followed Mewtwo with his brown eyes, staring at him like a predator watching its prey. Having forgotten completely about the battle going on between his partner and Mewtwo's own, Robin kept his head up and turned around to follow the falling Pokemon, only to have been met by a powerful kick to the chest, the blow knocking the wind out of him. He fell back, the impact having caused him to lose his balance and fall to the floor. He coughed, then drew in a sharp breath, his mind demanding him to get to his feet at that very instant. His body complied, and Robin stood, his head snapping up to see who had hit him. Surely enough, his brown eyes had laid upon the tall, blue frog in a crouching position.

"Tch-." Robin's brow furrowed, anger rising within him. He couldn't believe he'd just been knocked down by some _amphibian_. Robin straightened his back and glared at the blue creature, his gaze boring a hole into that body of his. "Take the other one!" Robin suddenly shouted as he stuck his sword out to the Captain, the order directed to him. The taller man stared at Robin from behind his black shades for several seconds before he pulled an irate face and turned his back, finding his way to Mewtwo. With his undivided attention now on Greninja, Robin frowned. "Come."

The creature bounded forward, going in for a direct attack with blades that had manifested from water. His arms swung forward, but Robin dodged in place, his body bending to the side before he reached out to grab hold of the strange monster. Being ever so swift, however, Greninja avoided this and caught Robin in a flurry of attacks, his arms moving quickly as multiple hits landed. Finally, Greninja dealt the final blow and allowed Robin to fall back, the force sending him flying once more. But before Robin could hit the floor, he caught himself, his hands pushing himself up before his back could hit the floor. Though his recovery was swift, the pain lingered, and Robin could feel a dampness to his clothing now. He hoped to the heavens that it was not blood as his hand touched at his abdomen, and to his relief, it wasn't blood at all – it was water. "Oh come on-." Robin glowered in the frog's direction, as it was now his time to act. _'He is faster than the other one...'_ Robin's thoughts rang loudly in his head. _'Keep up with him. Play the defensive game until you've got him off his feet.' _

Standing back once more, Robin waited for Greninja to come at him, his eyes focusing. He was waiting for him, his mind piecing together a plan with each second that passed. He had the creature right where he wanted him. All he had to do was run forward-

_BAM!_

A bright flash came from the edge of the stage opposite of where Robin stood. The white haired male looked up, shocked, and only caught the image of Captain Falcon rising from the side of the arena in a flaming uppercut. He landed and found his footing with precision and grace. It seemed like nothing could trip this man up. The Captain directed his attention to Robin, and by the looks of it, he wasn't impressed.

Drawing in a sharp breath, Robin clenched the hilt of his sword and mentally begged the frog to come at him. He was ready to show his teammate what he was made of. He stood there, ready as ever, but to his crushing disappointment, Greninja pulled an about-face and stormed over to Captain Falcon, swift on his feet as liquid blades manifested in his hands once more. Robin stood there with a dumbfounded look upon his face as he was forced to watch the frog go for the better of the two competitors that it was up against. His hand balled into a fist so tight that his knuckles went white. In his brewing rage, Robin watched as the frog and the Captain collided.

Greninja swung his blades forward, only to have been dodged and attacked soon after – the man had short hopped into the air, and forcefully kicked downwards with both his legs, causing the creature to stagger _hard. _In its daze, Captain Falcon landed, grabbed hold of the amphibian, thrust his knee into its thin gut twice, and kicked him backwards, sending the poor thing flying. Robin watched carefully as his partner then took to the air with one powerful hop, kicking the Pokemon once, then twice, before letting it breath for only but a moment as he fell with him. The man aligned with the disoriented frog, but before Robin could see the final blow being dealt, he was surprised by a flashing Mewtwo, who had just happened to fall right in Robin's line of sight as he was re-spawned into the match.

Mewtwo's interruption did not keep Robin from understanding the force of the Captain's strength, however, for when he had landed the final blow, Robin felt a pulse tear through the air. The powerful wave caused Robin to stumble, and the purple creature wasted no time in taking advantage of this. One moment, the sound of Greninja's shout filled the air along with that sudden flash of light, and the next, Robin was caught up again in that forceful grab that he was anything but a fan of. Attempting to break free, the male squirmed in Mewtwo's grasp, but his actions were all for naught as he was pushed back forcefully and assaulted with many orbs of dark energy. The effect of said attack lingered on him, making it difficult for Robin to rebound or maintain his posture. As he fell back, Mewtwo jumped ahead, swiping his hand quickly to slash at Robin's body. This move hit hard, and Robin could not help but let out a cry of pain as the force of the attack sent him back even further.

_'By the gods, it hurts-.'_ The voice in his mind was in distress. _'It_ _**hurts**__.'_

Robin had to snap out of it. He had to swallow this pain. He knew that if he continued to dwell on it, he would ultimately prove useless in battle. Using his double jump, Robin hopped into the air, regaining control of his body. Mewtwo was coming at him with speed, readying himself for another attack, but as the creature swiped forward once more, Robin forced himself to dodge said attack mid-flight. He swung his sword forward and landed a heavy blow, the electricity once again surging through its host. Gritting his teeth, Robin watched as his opponent was knocked back, but as he drew near for another hit, the blasted monster suddenly surrounded himself with what felt to be his own form of electricity. Having been too close, Robin was caught up in this attack, the move stunning him for as long as it endured. The tactician hit the floor, groaning in distress before he rolled back, away from the edge of the arena, and found his way to his feet again. He looked up in time to see the creature charging up that shadow ball of his, and in his haste, Robin put up his defenses, shielding himself from the attack. He waited for the impact, but felt nothing. Mewtwo had decided to hold onto the attack and use it for later. Dismissing his shield, Robin found himself hissing in frustration, those brown eyes locking on his challenger. Mewtwo was harder to get a hold of, now... Was it possible that the Pokemon had found it easier to read Robin instead of the other way around?

_'It's funny- you read books so much that you've become readable yourself.'_

Ike's voice filled Robin's mind, and upon recalling that one sentence, his stomach sank. Robin swallowed hard. He could hear the combat behind him between Greninja and Captain Falcon. He had seen how the Captain fought, and Robin could not deny the fact that he was impressed with what little he saw. He wanted to _return _that feeling, and have his teammate be impressed with him. Normally, Robin would not care about anyone else's opinion on him, but this was a man that he did not like, and a man that he wanted to intimidate. Not to mention that he had shouted, "Do not disappoint!" in the beginning of the match. How could he say that, and then be the very person to do the disappointing? He sucked his teeth and readied himself, his boots pressing against the ground as Mewtwo came at him. He wasn't a disappointment and he was going to prove it.

The moment Mewtwo was in arm's length reach, Robin reached out and grabbed hold of him in a binding spell, refusing his opponent the right to attack. In his frustration, Robin found himself slamming Mewtwo downwards against the floor. He rebounded hard, remaining airborne for a second, enough time for Robin to cast another Arcfire upon the beast. It landed and hit multiple times, and as the last hit sent Mewtwo soaring, Robin once again landed a heavy blow with his sword in mid-air. The impact had even sent a shockwave through Robin, letting him know just how hard the male had hit him. He was no longer playing around. It was time he fought seriously. The male was on him, quickly now, following Mewtwo without pause. The creature barely had time to land before the tactician had sliced him once, twice with his bronze sword, only to capture him with a flurry of green blades that flew from his spell book. The ending blade landed a heavy hit, sending Mewtwo flying upwards, high above Robin's head. He looked up and jumped, intent on landing another aerial attack, but this one was dodged. This did not faze him, however, for he knew he had his opponent on the ropes.

He followed Mewtwo down and swiped his sword forward, but again, his attack missed. Robin clenched his jaw when he found that he had no time to attack in the air again, so he figured when he landed on his feet, he would catch the creature with a low swipe of his sword, knocking him off balance. Robin landed at the same time as his victim, the material on his body causing him to land heavily and with delay, something he was used to. What he was not used to, however, was the fact that Mewtwo was lighter on his feet than his opponent. Robin drew his sword back to attack, his stance strong and firm, the Pokemon right in front of him. Mewtwo was in range – but so was Robin. Before he could even think of bringing his shield up, Mewtwo's hands drew back, and the dark mass of energy manifested in his palms once more. Robin's eyes widened as he now tried to swing forward in order to intercept the ball of darkness with his weapon, but he was too slow. The blow was anything but kind to him as the attack knocked him back with astonishing power. The sensation that racked his body was unpleasantly numbing as Robin slammed against the floor, rolling a good distance away from Mewtwo, the shadow ball's after effects still lingering on his body. The numbing pain came first, and then the more intense, physical pain founds its way in soon after.

_"Augh-!" _ Robin all but croaked the sound, the cry falling from his mouth involuntarily. He could feel his hands trembling and twitching in response to the agony that had made its home within his vessel. Robin dragged out his next word, _"Sshhhhii-t-," _as he attempted to pull himself up from the ground, his arms weak and feeble. They felt like jelly, as did his legs, but he stood to his feet nonetheless, and faced Mewtwo once more, his eyes catching a glimpse of another charged shadow ball before the creature had a chance to hide it. This did not seem to matter to said creature, however, for once he was done charging, he advanced forward, floating at a quickened pace, headed straight for Robin.

Remaining alert, the tactician tried to read his opponent as he drew nearer – what was he going to do? Attack? Go for a grab? Call a bluff and wait for Robin to slip up? He grit his teeth as each one of his thoughts conflicted with the other, and figured that he would dodge when Mewtwo was close enough. In seconds, the monster was upon him, and Robin side-stepped an aggressive tackle. He reacted to this with a swipe of his own sword, but was not quick enough as the weapon barely grazed Mewtwo's side. Robin swore and was then quick to jump, avoiding his challenger's tail as it failed an attempt to knock Robin off balance. While in the air, the tactician swung his sword forward in a sharp motion, then drew his hand back around, the attack forming in the shape of a lemniscate. His attempt at landing a hit on Mewtwo failed once again, however, as the taller of the two ducked out of the way, and Robin knew he would have to be quick on his feet if he wanted to avoid Mewtwo's next potential blow.

Landing with a thud on those heavy boots of his, Robin stared Mewtwo straight in the face, his legs shifting beneath him to help him sprint and attack, but before he knew it, the cloaked male found Mewtwo crouching swiftly, and then everything else went–

_**Black.**_

Everything went black. Everything went black? What had just happened? Robin felt as if his body had just been depleted of all its strength, his entire being weak as he struggled to stand. He could feel himself swaying, battling with gravity to keep his footing and hold himself up. He heard a faint groan. It was his own... The sound reverberated in his head at an unsettlingly loud volume, and the sounds of combat soon followed. The darkness persisted, impairing Robin's sight to the fullest, but despite this, he knew he was still in the match.

_He was still in the match._ A soft light had broken through the darkness, and figures had begun to form in front of him. _'You're still in the match!' _Robin's thoughts shouted at him. _'WAKE UP! You've been stunned! Snap out of it!' _

Giving it his all to obey this order, Robin's eyes widened as the picture started to clear in front of him. He could feel his body go rigid as he regained control of his actions, his head shaking once as his face carried a dopey, shocked expression. In seconds, he came to, only to feel a powerful force yank him back by the hood of his cloak. The action was so sudden that he did not even have time to make a sound. He only stared forward as he watched Mewtwo strike the floor with a powerful purple aura, the attack landing where he once stood. "Wha-" The unfinished word left Robin's mouth as he fell, the force of the pull having proven to be too much for him to recover from, but instead of feeling the hard floor against his back, an arm had been placed behind him, breaking his fall.

He was held in place by Captain Falcon for but a second before he was helped back to his feet, the man forcing Robin to regain his balance. Dumbfounded, the tactician looked over to his teammate, at a loss for words.

"Look alive," was all the Captain said before he darted ahead at a shockingly fast pace, taking the two opponents head on.

Robin stared on in silence, watching the performance unfold before him. How was it that Captain Falcon was the one keeping a cool head while Robin flopped about the field like a helpless child? This was not how he pictured his first match to go. He was embarrassed and angered – grateful that his partner had saved him from a sure to be devastating blow – but overall upset. He watched on as his teammate took on Team E with outstanding agility and strength, his hits landing every time, his body turning on a dime. He did not stumble, nor did he stagger, and with moves that were packed with power, Captain Falcon managed to send his opponents flying back with one strong thrust of his elbow. How he engulfed them with flames, Robin did not know, but what he did know was that he was not going to sit back and allow this man to get through the match on his own. Robin refused to have the role of "Weakest Link" bestowed upon him, so with this thought in mind, he was sure to pick himself up and prove to the audience, the spectators, the Captain, and himself, that he could hold his own just as well as everyone else.

As the combat went on in front of him, Robin's jaw clenched, and he swallowed his pain in order to regain his posture. His body hurt all over, his arms and legs throbbed, his heart rate had quickened and sweat rolled down the side of his face. He opened his book in hand and inhaled deeply, then shouted two words out at the top of his lungs.

"Captain! _Jump!_"

As if the man were a manic machine that moved without delay, Captain Falcon reacted as soon as those words were spoken. He took to the air, jumping right off of Mewtwo's head as a means of disorienting him even more than he already was. Once airborne, Robin wasted no time in releasing the beam that he had stored within his book in the beginning of the match. He spun once, outstretched his hand and called, "Thoron!" as a bright, yellow beam propelled itself with great speed from Robin's vessel. The attack gave no time for Mewtwo or Greninja to avoid it- they were caught in the savage attack, and the two were sent flying; the damage that they had racked up proved to be too much for them to survive the attack. The both of them fell out of the range of the arena, slamming outside as their shouts were heard.

The crowd's cheering grew louder, and it was at that moment that Robin had remembered that they were fighting in front of what seemed to be thousands of people. He had completely drowned out their noise earlier on, but it was now coming back to him.

"Greninja of Team E: Eliminated!" Master Hand's voice filled the stadium as the voice of the crowd grew ever louder.

As his sword found its way back to his hand, Robin looked forward to Captain Falcon, who landed on his feet in time to catch his partner's gaze. The Captain gave a quick nod of his head in approval. Without thinking, Robin did the same. He then beckoned for his partner with one hand, his other charging another spell in his tome. The light changed from a deep yellow to an orange-red glow, and once he saw this, Robin shut his book and kept the spell where it was. By the time he was done, Captain Falcon was at his side, standing tall as he watched the hovering pad bring Mewtwo back into the match.

"When did you take out the frog's second stock?" Robin shot, his eyes locked on the lowering opponent.

"I managed to do that when you were blitzed out of your mind," the man countered, a smirk on his lips.

Robin scowled. "Very funny."

"It _was_. You should've seen yourself." That smirk of his did not show any signs of leaving. In fact, it only grew. It seemed the Captain's main priority was getting on Robin's last nerve.

"Let's just take this _thing_ down," Robin grumbled, watching Mewtwo as he fell to the farthest edge of the arena to charge another shadow ball. Robin gripped his sword and waited for the purple creature to move, and sure enough, in a desperate attempt to win, it charged forward. Robin took one step, but stopped in his tracks as his partner zoomed past him, leaving the tactician in the dust. His cloak fluttered with how swiftly the man had passed him, and with that same speed of his, the Captain grabbed hold of Mewtwo with one swipe of his hand. He quickly followed this up by slamming the creature onto the floor with force, giving him no time to process the attack. The Captain then short hopped and kicked at him twice. Staggering, Mewtwo attempted to fight back, but failed miserably as the masked man all but dodged circles around him. The Pokemon was grabbed again, took a knee to the gut, and was kicked backwards in Robin's direction.

His reaction was swift. "Arcthunder!" He cast the red ball of electricity just in time for it to explode on the airborne Mewtwo. The creature was stunned in place for several seconds before he was met with a swing of Robin's Levin sword, launching him back towards Captain Falcon, who played off of Robin's movements in time to get above the creature for another forceful downward kick. The hit sent Mewtwo crashing onto the floor, bouncing up in time for Robin to catch him in his sights. Another Arcfire was cast down upon the Pokemon, and he flinched several times as the flames engulfed him. After the final hit had landed, Robin dashed forward and grabbed hold of him in his magical bind. He squeezed at him twice, then caught a glimpse of Captain Falcon jumping into the air. As if he'd known his partner's move set his whole life, Robin forcefully shoved his victim forward and watched as he flew just high enough to get caught in a devastating blow dealt by the Captain himself.

With his knee jutting out, the hit connected with Mewtwo's lower back. Robin caught a glimpse of a gleam, and then a familiar pulse of energy was once again felt through the air – it was the very same pulse that had caused him to lose his footing earlier on. A gust of wind followed the attack, his white locks whipping in the air along with his cloak as he covered his face with his arm. Robin could not believe it. The man's attack was so powerful that whenever it landed, it actually affected the surrounding area, and the people within it.

A cry left Mewtwo, and that was that. He soared out of range like a rocket, careening onward without any form of control to call his own. In a second, he was out, and Master Hand made his presence known once more:

"GAME!"

The crowd cheered wildly as the Captain landed back on his feet, void of stagger. His knees bent upon landing, and he then stood up straight seconds later, standing several feet away from Robin.

"The winner is: Team F!" That iconic voice announced their victory to the thousands of spectators.

Removing his arm from his face, Robin looked up to face Captain Falcon, then glanced around. The roar of the crowd was almost unbearable as the tactician had begun to catch his breath, suddenly realizing how exhausted he felt. He could hear the crowd cheering his name, distant voices shouting, "Robin!" repeatedly. But those voices were easily drowned out by the name of the man that had _really_ taken the match by storm: Captain Falcon. They audience was wild for him as they chanted, "Falcon, Falcon!" without pause.

Robin raised his brow and straightened his back. "They like you." His voice was barely audible under the roar of the crowd.

"They like you, too."

"They like you, more." Robin gave a faux smile to his teammate, hiding the fact that he was trying to stomach the pain that still gripped him. Since he hadn't lost a stock, he did not have time to recover, as was promised by Master Hand. It was too late for that now, and Robin knew that he would have to deal with his physical suffering for the time being.

He reached a hand up to rub at his face, and when said hand had pulled away, Robin opened his eyes to see an outstretched hand in front of him. Quietly, the tactician looked up at his assigned partner, and his lips parted slightly, as if he were going to speak. No words came out, however. Instead, he drew in a long breath, passed his Levin sword to his left hand, and clasped the Captain's thickly gloved palm with his right. One stern shake of the hand was all Robin had to offer, chestnut optics glaring past the mask that obscured his teammate's face, before he withdrew his entire arm, allowing it to fall back at his side.

The chanting continued, but soon, the sound began to fade as both Captain Falcon and Robin were enveloped in a familiar blue light. Robin looked down at his feet, and as he had suspected, a blue circle had spawned beneath them. They were on their way back to the grand estate, where everyone was- where Ike and Shulk were. The thought of seeing them brought a strange form of relief upon Robin. Even the thought of talking to Pit, or to either of the two women he'd spoken to the day before, helped calm the tactician down. He sighed. He wanted to feel healthy again. He wanted to tend to himself. He needed to check out the damage that was dealt to his body by that menacing, purple beast. Robin felt weak, and his face showed it.

He could feel the Captain's eyes on him, and knew that he wanted to ask him things, but Robin played the fool and kept his head down, pretending that he did not notice this. However, despite the fact that Robin ignored his teammate, this did not stop Captain Falcon from speaking up.

His words were stern and straight to the point: "Take care of yourself."

Robin's brow furrowed for a moment before a completely different look had claimed his features – a blatant look of indifference was what greeted the Captain now. He looked up in time to catch the taller man's gaze with his own, stared at him long and hard, and finally, flatly uttered, "I don't need you to tell me that."

Refusing to exchange anymore words with each other, the bright, blue light had surrounded them, and in seconds, they were gone.

* * *

_/I hope you enjoyed the second chapter! Reviews and creative input are always appreciated, and I will be sure to upload more chapters in the near future. __Thank you so much for reading! -Luxray/_


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